General Motors - GM Hot Button Promotion 2004

Overview:      Inherently January and February are the two most difficult months of the year for GM to maintain market share. Slow sales, as a result of reduced customer traffic at dealerships, is an obstacle that has been difficult to address. The answer to building traffic became a game of chance that was so unique and so big that consumers could not resist heading to their local GM dealer to participate. This game of chance is “The GM Hot Button”. The idea is simple: a consumer visits a local GM dealer, sits in a designated GM vehicle, presses the OnStar (global navigation system) hot button, learns some valuable product information prior to hearing if they had potentially won one of 1000 new GM vehicles. Who wouldn’t want to do that..??                 “Hot Button” utilized a fully integrated communication plan to get the word out to the consumer. Television, Newspaper, Magazine, Internet and Direct mail were used to drive traffic to all participating dealerships, however, the communication did not stop here. Once at the dealership, consumers were greeted by a variety of Point of Sale (POS) materials which were provided in the Hot Button Display Kit. Positioned throughout the dealers show room and service department, these elements directed consumers on where to go and assisted them on how to play the game. “We have a winner…!!!” Once a winner was determined and verified they were provided and prize information kit by mail. Their prize vehicle was specially ordered and in most cases delivered to them at the same dealer where they had played the game. Winners were featured on the GM Hot Button website, and in numerous PR efforts. Dealers also utilized winners in local advertising. Objectives: Brand Objectives Reinforce GM as a leader in the marketplace Close the gap between consumer perception and GM reality Demonstrate depth and breadth of GM product portfolio and technologies Showcase the quality and design of GM’s vehicle Increase opinion and consideration of GM vehicles Effectively showcase OnStar capabilities firsthand to the consumer Retail Objectives Maintain market share during the program window Increase dealer traffic and near/long-term sales beyond GM core loyalists Promotion Description: Launch The GM Hot Button launched in January 2004 on the CBS NFL Pre-game show with CBS commentator and ex-NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason demonstrating how to play the game. The stage was set with Boomer standing in front of 8 GM featured vehicles, one from every division. Boomer then threw a football at an oversized OnStar Button, was connected to an OnStar operator and was determined to be a winner of a new Cadillac Escalade, which he then presented to his favorite local charity. The live demonstration was followed by a 60: launch spot designed to create buzz and draw attention to the game. The Pre-Game event launched an integrated media plan that was critical to the success of the GM Hot Button program. Success of this program required a diverse mix of broad reaching mediums that would provide avenues to create buzz and to disseminate detailed information. The GM Hot Button media plan included network and cable TV, national newspaper, interactive and diversity advertising. Call Center Working with OnStar, 1000’s of vehicles across the country were re-configured to call a GM Hot Button game play operator. The call center responded to almost 2million calls over the 56 days of the program with an average service level of 99%. Fulfillment The GM Hot Button fulfillment team worked with all 1000 winners personally and provided each winner with a unique vehicle fulfillment representative who helped them through the process of ordering and delivery of their prize. The 1000th vehicle was delivered by the GM Hot Button Fulfillment Team on August 23.  Operational Structure The GM Hot Button program was driven by a finely tuned, intricate promotional engine.  The unique, one-of-kind, largest ever operational structure made the whole game appear effortless to the consumer.  Promotion Compliance The Promotion Compliance Department developed structure of the program which was designed to work with OnStar, all integrated GM departments and GM Dealers. They wrote the program rules and obtained legal approvals for all marketing and advertising efforts. Promotion Headquarters Promotional Headquarters was the centralized hub of all communication for dealers and consumers during the live portion of the game.  Troubleshooting 100’s of calls each day to keep the program running smoothly. Program Headquarters was also responsible for all winner verification, the second chance drawing, data tracking and result monitoring during and post game. Game Play Call Center Over 800 game play operators were trained to answer game play phone lines – most days they took over 40,000 calls across the country with an average 99% service level. Vehicle Fulfillment A dedicated team of 12 full-time vehicle fulfillment specialists worked with each of the 1000 winners to support them from the time that they customer ordered their prize until the time of delivery. Each of the customers was treated like they were the only winner - and each is now GM ambassadors for life. In Market Support In support of the GM Hot Button, Point of Sale (POS) materials were delivered to all 7,500 + GM dealers across the country including Alaska and Hawaii. POS was also incorporated into Auto Show displays and additional corporate sponsored events. Included in the POS kits were display elements to assist the dealers in decorating their showroom floor, service departments and drawing attention to the designated vehicles for the game. Kits included: Banners Car Toppers (Auto Show included) Posters Eligibility Clings Mirror Clings Service Area Table Tents (Auto Show included) Communication / Media Getting the word out..!!!  Supporting the POS and media launch was a targeted Communication Process to inform and educate the dealers as well as the GM Regional offices on the GM Hot Button program. The first critical element was the GM Hoy Button Playbook. This information guide covered all aspects of the program from how to activate the game in the dealership to FAQ’s to complete Rules and Regulation. A corporate Launch / Training video was developed to help guide the dealers through the full scope of the program. It detailed specifics on all areas of the promotion as well as provide a level of corporate support for the program by showcasing GM Senior Executives John G. Middlebrook and Peter Gerosa as the key spokes persons.  Advertising Television was selected because of its broad reach and because ability to engage viewers.   It was targeted to reach 95% of the country and average of 12 times, for a total of 1.4 billion impressions.  Media impressions were front-loaded in the first week to create awareness of the program and to drive traffic to the dealerships.  TV showcased the drama and human emotion of the winning moments as well as demonstrated that real people were playing and winning the game.  Newspapers and the web were utilized for their strengths as information based mediums.  One print execution highlighted the depth and breadth of the GM product portfolio offering readers deeper exposure to the GM’s products. Other executions were designed to cover composition of the game including how and where to play the game.  The Hot Button website supported the print and TV by providing even more information to consumers.  The site included the official game rules, dealer locator, GM’s product portfolio and frequent updates on Hot Button winners and their stories. Results: To say the GM Hot Button program was successful is an understatement. The results speak for themselves. The GM Hot Button program drove traffic to the dealerships. Almost 2 million people played the game. Approximately 400,000 incremental shoppers. Awareness of the GM Hot Button was high.  78% of participants were aware of program before going to the dealership.*  MITS measures indicate a significant lift in total ad awareness:                   *GMIA Hot Button Program Analysis The GM Hot Button drove traffic to the website.  Over 719,600 total user clicks on the GM Hot Button micro-site. GM Hot Button contributed to increased sales and market share gain. Impact on short-term sales: 8,000 incremental sales during the two month program (Jan and Feb of 2004). Online survey data suggests the program increased opinion and consideration of the GM brand. 56% of game players agreed that the game improved their perception of GM. Just over 50% of game players agreed that participating in the GM Hot Button made them more likely to purchase a GM vehicle. 52% of GM owners. 54% of non-GM owners. Those who were aware of the event were more likely to say that GM: Had the best-looking vehicles*. Is first to market with new features and benefits*. Is a leader at making cars safer*. *MITS Millward Brown